


Sisterhood

by AniecaSophistica



Category: Cosmere - Brandon Sanderson, Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson, The Alloy of Law - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-07-24 15:44:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7514035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AniecaSophistica/pseuds/AniecaSophistica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From one of my headcanons that Steris intentionally tries to come off difficult to Waxillium on their first meeting because she's nervous and not sure how she feels about pushed into a relationship with him and that Marasi (who did knew a bit about Waxillium) would have helped Steris even though they didn't have the best relationship yet.</p><p>Note: I really hope I did a good job portraying Steris and understanding her. I know it's probably off but I do love her as a character and we don't see much of her interactions with Steris as I'd like. Also this is written from Marasi's understanding of Steris.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. At My Worst

Marasi walked warily toward Steris’s rooms. It wasn’t that talking to Steris was bad or miserable. It was just a bit… too straight forward. “Steris, I need these books and this much sent for tuition?” “I’ll have it taken care of.” “Alright, thanks.” She would stand there a moment expecting a normal ‘how are classes’, ‘what classes are you taking?’, or anything. However, usually Steris would keep with her tasks until she would look up a bit baffled as she didn’t know why Marasi was still there. Then she'd ask ‘Is there anything else you needed?’. And Marasi would say ‘No, thank you again’. ‘Alright,’ Steris would say and stare at Marasi waiting until she left.

This was a particularly bad day to ask Steris for anything. Just a few days ago her latest fiance had broken off the engagement with Steris. Steris wasn’t unpleasant; she was just different. It was just hard to connect with her. Hard for Steris to connect with other people, maybe?

Marasi frowned as the door to Steris’s study was open and Marasi peaked in and stopped.

The room was covered in papers; files scattered all across the small room. Marasi would have worried someone had been attacked- Steris’s normally tidy room a mess - if Steris hadn’t been sitting at her desk writing about normal.

“Steris?” Marasi asked, stepping in the room.

Steris looked up as she always did, as if her room wasn’t covered in papers and folders and notebooks. “Yes? Did you need something?”

“Um… should I call someone to clean this up?”

Steris glanced around like she couldn’t see the mess. “No, it’s fine."

“Alright...” Marasi stood there before carefully moving across the room and around the papers. She handed Steris a sheet of the things she would need for classes. “My next semester book list, and itemized tuition and…” Steris frowned deeply at it and sniffled. Marasi stopped. “Do you want me to come back later, Steris?”

“No, I’ll see it taken care of.” Steris glanced down at the desk, frowning, eyes looking so sad, her voice softer and more resigned that it ever had been.

“It’s alright to be sad, Steris.” Marasi said softly, trying to offer some comfort, and knowing somehow that it would backfire on her. She had often tried to connect with Steris. They were sisters. Half-sisters pretending to be cousins, sure, but well, they were still sisters. Marasi – like Steris – did not have a lot of friends or people around. It was just them and their father in the big empty mansion.

Marasi could sympathize with Steris. Marasi could understand that four failed engagements weren’t good for her sister’s reputation and how people didn’t understand her. There was something about being different than most people found uncomfortable.

Marasi _had_ tried dating at her mother’s assistance. Even pretending to be a minor noble lord’s cousin gave her a certain degree of freedom to date. However, Marasi inevitably talked about murder, crimes, statistics, quoted things, and spoke too freely. She could probably learn from Steris. Her father seemed to think so.

“I am not sad.” Steris finally said. “I am sure I will eventually find someone to put up with myself. I don’t think I am that intolerable.” There was little conviction in her tone.

Marasi almost winced at Steris’s flat words. Steris normally tried hard to come off 'like everyone else'. Today she _was_ normal – a normal, very hurt person. Marasi had been turned down by men before. For many reasons. She knew the sadness, emptiness and disappointment her sister felt now. That need to please people and be seen as worthwhile and useful. Marasi understood that feeling well. Understood her father's continued disappointment with both his daughters, and frustration with them. No, Steris and Marasi were no so different at all.

Marasi looked at the papers and knelt down, setting her bag aside and began to gather them up.

Steris straightened in her chair, almost leaning over the desk to stop Marasi. “No, those are fine.” Marasi stopped as Steris panicked, feeling bad at having bothered Steris now.

Marasi contemplated immediately dropping them and leaving. However, there was something in Steris’s eyes that begged Marasi to help her sister. Then something caught her eye. She stared at it for a long moment. 

“What is it?” Steris asked.

Marasi’s facial expressions were too obvious. People could read her easily. That fact didn’t make her a fantastic solicitor, despite all her knowledge and intellect. She probably wouldn’t do too well in real cases. She was great in classrooms, poor in practical settings. Like Steris, she knew what to do but when it came to doing it, it fell flat. She could imagine being strong and confident but when she was there she was easily put off guard or embarrassed. Men pushed her around and intimidated her. She knew that being a solicitor was probably not in her cards despite all her begging to her mother. If she couldn’t handle practice cases, how well would do in a real setting?

In her hands rested a picture and profile of a man. In his early forties, he looked terribly uninterested in sitting for the photo that had probably been handed off to many noble lords and matchmakers across the city. He was very handsome despite his age- in the rough kind of way Marasi liked- although he was distinctively quite noble and dismissive in his posture and expression. This was also the kind of man that Marasi would also avoid at a party because they would just frown- study her disapprovingly, notice she was obviously below his status- before he would walk away.

 _Waxillium James Ladrian_. He had apparently moved to the city about a year ago to take over House Ladrian following his cousin’s death. He was old to be taking over a high lord’s household. There were no other male family members to the house besides him, so he had been called to fill the duty despite that his father had disowned him years before. Those things were waved away in circumstances like this.

Marasi had read tons about him and his work in the roughs. “Marasi." Steris said, interupting her thoughts.

“You’re considering him?” She held up the profile to Steris.

Steris only had to study it a moment before responding. “No, but father is.” Steris said slowly, before frowning very slightly.

Marasi didn’t blame her sister for feeling resentment at the circumstances.

But... their house – it noted – was in severe financial distress. It was an ideal situation for House Harms to take advantage of. However ‘taking advantage’ of the situation mean marrying off young and uncomfortable Steris to a man fifteen years older, a roughs lawman and hero who had not been in a formal noble setting in two decades. It was a mess of a match, but not one their father wouldn’t refuse because it wasn’t ideal for Steris.

Their father had little more care for Steris beyond her usefulness than he did for Marasi. Laws dictated that he had to do a certain amount for Marasi. Marasi and her mother had negotiated a different deal. Her mother had agreed that Marasi could go to university _if_ she lived in the city with her father and learned to be a proper noblewoman. 

To be honest, Lord Harms had slept with her mother - a woman two decades younger - so it was little surprise he wouldn’t think anything of a fifteen year gap between STeris and Waxillium if it was beneficial to the house.

“I’ve read about him, in my texts and in news papers.” Marasi said eventually.

Steris blinked, staring at her, interested for once in what she had to say. “You _have_?”

“Yes, of his work in the roughs and such things.”

Steris frowned at that. “Yes, I have noted he did that.” She glanced frowning more at the papers across the ground.

“What are you going to do?” Marasi asked, and winced as she knew it was a stupid question. Steris had little say in anything at all. Her life was not her own to guide or argue with their father.

“Father has already reached out to him. His letters, father says, seem promising and hopeful that this will work out well.” Steris looked like she had little hope of the same.

“It could.”

Steris just looked at Marasi blankly. “It could.” Steris said, unconvinced but in a way that she had probably agreed when her father had brought it up. Resigned to her fate, and just agreeing to get on with it.

“He’s helped a lot of people and has a very good reputation –“

“I doubt any bit of that has any relevance to me.” Steris said cutting her off, sounding like she probably was wishing Marasi would go away. That was how most people treated her.

“The city he spent most of his time protecting is considered one of the safest places for women across all the roughs. They said that he took crimes against women particularly seriously.” Marasi said. "Forty percent -"

“I’ve seen house lords throw fits about treatment of their daughter, and treat their own wives much worst. Like the rules don’t apply to themselves...”

“He –“

“Marasi, I do not want your opinions on someone you have not met. At every event for the last few months he consistently skips out on and cares little for attending or staying the entire time. He seems like an impetuous child far above the rules and expectations of the rest of us. Like he is better than us for what he does.” Steris said firmly, slightly annoyed probably.

Marasi set the papers on Steris’s desk. Marasi paused and pulled a folder from her bag and set it aside the table. “I don’t know him, but everything that I have studied, and based on people who have met him, lead me to the conclusion that he is a very good man who is trying his best. Maybe he just doesn’t know how. I would imagine that twenty years in the roughs and returning to the city is hard, to not know the rules and expectations and customs that are used now." She paused. "He wasn’t trained to run a high house, and hasn’t done this in decades. One would think, Steris, that helping him would be something you would excel at and that he would be grateful for.”

“Unlikely.” Steris said.

“I would appreciate if you take care of those things, thank you.” Marasi walked out and closed the door after her. She paused outside, feeling bad at how distantly she had regarded her sister at the end. Steris had _just_ been out of engagement, the fourth failed one, and now her father was pushing for yet another so soon after. Marasi winced hard when she heard Steris’s soft sobbing from on the other side of the door.

Marasi had to get to class. She was going to be late.

* * *

 

Marasi was surprised when she got back late from studying to find Steris sitting in the front room. “Do you have any more on him?” Steris asked, surprising Marasi.

“Huh?” 

“Lord Ladrian, we talked of him earlier. This," she indicated to the file Marasi had left with her earlier that day, "had notes on a general profile like he was a criminal himself but I wanted to know how you made such conclusion on him.”

“That profile was compiled by one of my professors who traveled to the roughs to meet him and analyze him.” Marasi said. “It is not my own, but it is made one of my professors who I respect greatly."

“Do you have any more on him?” Steris asked again, but not impatiently.

“Yeah, I have tons of news clipping and the like from events in the roughs he was involved in but I’m not sure how helpful –“

“I would like whatever you have on him, please.” Steris said, pausing and softening her tone. “It may help me.”

“Um, alright.” Marasi said. “It might take me a bit to gather them, but I can.”

“You think he’s a good man?” Steris asked softly, maybe hopefully.

“I think that any man who would go out to a virtually lawless land, get shot at, to protect people he doesn’t know is a good man.” Marasi said firmly. “It is the primary tenant of survivorism, that caring for others survival over our own is the ultimate act of love, as the survivor did for us. That is why he will return, because he chose to die for us.”

“I am aware of the primary tenant. But, Lord Ladrian hasn’t died for anyone.”

“Yes but having a dead husband would not help you either. I mean maybe you could marry him quickly before he got himself killed.”

Steris looked at her in shock, eyes just going wide and staring at her. That was about the most reaction Marasi could get out of her. Marasi smirked. “I didn’t really mean that Steris.”

Steris paused and pursed her lips, strain showing in her eyes. “Of course.” She said softly. She didn’t always get jokes...

Marasi smiled. “I think that his attempts alone to protect people knowing he could very likely die are the closest thing you can get to those in a person you can marry.” Marasi said honestly. “The kind of man who would die to protect anyone would probably die to protect you too. I doubt you would be an exception to him.”

“Do they say anything about his personal life?”

“Not so much, he worked with a few people on average, mostly another man his age who we have little details on.”

“Women?” Steris asked cautiously.

“Occasionally a bounty hunter named Lessie is mentioned but rarely. I think she’s older, but again, not much. There’s a handful of other names of other lawmen in the area he works with -”

“Do you think if he did mistreat women that it would be mentioned?” Steris asked again, honest and straight forward with her question.

“Well I think honestly it might if only for the fact you have to think when someone is twinborn like he is that –“

“Twinborn?” Steris paused. “I’ve heard the word mentioned but I hadn’t understood what it meant.”

“He’s an allomancer and a feruchemist. A ferring of some kind.”

“An allomancer…” Steris paused glancing to her lap where a pile of notes rested. “Yes, a coinshot, I believe.”

“That’s right, that one is pretty obvious considering his diappearances from high story buildings at parties.”

“Yes.” Steris nodded in agreement, slightly amused by this it seemed, almost, thoughtful.

“You’re considering it.”

“I don’t get a choice... but I would like to be prepared.” She paused again, thoughtfully. “I am meeting with him next Thursday. I know you have classes, but if you could, would you come with me?” She looked at Marasi hopefully, almost pleading.

Marasi paused, surprised. Their father wouldn’t be happy but he probably wouldn’t argue with Steris; Marasi was eager to meet him, but she didn’t want Steris to think she was too eager. Her classes on Thursday did early enough for any meeting. “Sure, but I don’t know what I would do there?”

“I don’t know what I’ll be doing there either.” Steris said.

“Well, if I could make a suggestion...” Marasi said.

“Yes?” Steris looked suspiciously at Waxillium.

“Be difficult, as difficult as you want. If he’s desperate as it seems to marry anyone it should hardly matter what you do but I think it’s a good test.”

“I think people perceive me difficult enough as it is, Marasi.” Steris said frowning at her.

“Sure, but be far more difficult, then when he realizes how you’re really like it’ll be a pleasant surprise."

“What is the point?” Steris asked, seeming tired.

“Well if you’re far more difficult than you may be normally and he’s still polite and manageable than you’ll know. If not, then he isn’t a good match anyway.” Marasi paused. “Perhaps you try too hard at first to be as…”

“Fake?”

Marasi paused. “As… behaved as you can, but in reality you should be worst. There’s a saying ‘if you can’t take me at my worst, you don’t deserve me at my best’.” Steris gave Marasi a very disapproving look. “I know I’m not any better at this, but well, I think the problem is that you give them unreal expectations of how you are. Best to be yourself at first, getting to know how they truly feel about you, rather than find out later. You get far in and settle down and then realize that people don’t like you…” Marasi paused. “I’m not so different, you know.”

“I don’t think so.” Steris said.

“Men find me childish naïve, ill-mannered,outspoken... It will be months of dating and then they realize these things. It’s my own fault, my own fault for not just being how I am from the beginning. It’s like I’ve lied to them, so why should I be surprised they are shocked when I’m not how I was pretending?”

“If you can’t take me at my worst, you don’t deserve me at my best.” Steris repeated it thoughtfully.

Marasi smirked. “I suppose I got that from some of the women at the shooting range, they’re pretty progressive and outspoken as well.”

“Shooting range?” Steris looked disapprovingly at her sister.

“Yeah, best we not mention that to father. Or my mother.”

“At least you wear gowns now." Steris said to herself.

Marasi smiled. “At least Waxillium Ladrian doesn’t run around in a roughs duster and pants or mistcloak. Reports says he’s found of wearing a mistcloak over a noble suit, even in the roughs. The gentlemen lawman was one of his nicknames.”

Steris smiled lightly, her lips teasing upward. “I am just imagining a man running around in a noble suit like that.”

“Terrifying.” Marasi said.

“Really?” Steris said. “I was thinking it sounds exciting.”

Marasi actually laughed at the thoughtful way Steris smiled, wistful maybe.

“I could use some excitement.” Steris said.

“We all could around here. All bets on Waxillium Ladrian making for an interesting date.”

“If we go to his home and he escapes out his own home that _would_ be hilarious.” Steris remarked smiling genuinely and then paused, as if recalling something. “You prefer older men don’t you?”

Marasi froze and looked at her, blushing slight. “Um, why do you ask?"

“Why?”

Marasi waited for Steris to elaborate, and when she didn't Marasi sighed. “I suppose there’s a bit or predictability in knowing they’re beyond the ‘discovering who they are’ phase. I would hope at 42, he would know what he is. Even if that thing is a lawman turned high lord.”

“Doesn’t it bother you, differences in experiences…” Steris said discretely. Marasi looked at Steris, surprised at the turn the conversation had taken.

“I would assume near everyone is more experienced than I am, at any age, Steris. I think that’s just the way of things.” Marasi said. “At 42 I should think that he knows what he’s like and more, he has a reputation. At that age men usually have some kind of reputation. Everyone has one, good or bad. I’m not sure any of us knows until we’ve been put to the test. And tests say Waxillium is a man who fights for others, and protects them. It’s not so much detail but it’s far better than a man known for his dalliances with women or love of alcohol.”

“I hadn’t thought of it like that.” Steris said honestly.

“And the thing is, to a 42 year old man 26 probably seems very young, so in this way your age works in your favor instead of against as it usually does.” Marasi smiled. “You’re not so old, but to him you’re probably quite young. And beautiful. Probably too a man who is used to dirty roughs homes and places, everyone woman is young and pretty and smells nice.”

Steris smiled softly, abused.

Marasi shrugged. “One would think best is to be young when they’re older, and then you are the younger women they pick. And then eventually they’re too old to do much or replace you or they die.”

“Marasi.” Steris said, in shock.

Marasi smirked. “I’m being honest.”

“I can see why people call you outspoken.”

“I am who I am. At my worst, Steris. At my worst.”

“At my worst.” Steris said thoughtfully and smiled. Marasi smiled too.

“I can’t wait for this meeting, I think it’s going to be great.” Marasi said.

“Perhaps.” Steris said, and standing up and looking at Marsai. “Thank you.”

"Anytime." Marasi said and watched Steris walk away, probably planning something brilliant.

 


	2. At My Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set after BoM. No real plot spoilers aside from their relationship (is that really one?).
> 
> Wax has a realization about his first meeting with Steris and talks to her about it.

Wax walked into Steris’s office, which was technically his, but he didn’t care. He liked that she felt comfortable there.

She glanced up at him, giving him her immediate attention. She waited for his request. It was her way of saying he was important enough to stop whatever she was doing. He was the only one she did that for, some people she would glance up at, some people she would just keep working until they talked, or until they said something important enough (in Wayne's case). But for him, she gave her full attention and that made him smile.

“I was wondering how your autobiography was coming along.” He asked, feigning curiosity.

She looked at him blankly. “My autobiography?”

Wax smiled brighter. “Yes, you see, we’ve known each other for almost two years, and you haven’t mentioned it since our first meting when you promised to send me a few chapters.” He smirked now at her obvious surprise and embarrassment. Caught. There was joy to that, but not as much as there should be considering Wayne had as much as given it away to him.

Steris just started to talk, he could sense her nervousness. “I…”

“Wayne’s right isn’t he, you were playing me weren’t you?” Wax said softening his look, smiling at her. He didn't care if she had. 

“Marasi said ‘if you don’t deserve me at my worst, you don’t deserve me at my best’.” It was the kind of justification Wayne would use. 'Wax told me to'.

Wax paused and laughed hard. He just waited. Sometimes Wayne was right, and sometimes embarrassing people was fun. He tried not to do it too frequently with Steris. But he got a sense this wasn't a personal thing she'd get upset about.

“I…”

“You’re fine. I don't care. I just find it hilarious that it’s been two years and I’ve never questioned that.”

“I assume you thought I was that pompous or strange to have one and didn't really want to read it."

“Strange, perhaps, but well, I figured at the time maybe it was your way to try and relate to me. To let me know about yourself. People had warned me and I was just trying – well I suppose reading about you would have helped me understand you better. It did slip my mind completely after the vanisher’s case.”

“I do have a couple chapters prepared.” She said softly, a slight smile in her eyes. Happiness, comfort in knowing he was fine with it now, that they were playing in the way they did.

“You do?” He asked, interested.

“Yes, in case you asked.”

“Of course you do,” he smiled and laughed. “Should I read them?”

“I have not consulted a proper editor but if you want....” She looked slightly embarrassed.

“What are they about?”

“My life growing up. Very boring, very stiff reading I would guess. Mostly factual statements, hardly… it’s probably like talking to me.” She frowned slightly.

“Then I’m sure it’ll be good.” Wax said immediately. She still got like that, but it was less often with him. With others it seemed as often as ever, and it might never change. But he hoped that maybe with him it wasn't as bad at least. “I find you very entertaining to talk to. You’re usually subtle with your humor and remarks. I bet there are some sneakily hidden jokes about your father in there.”

Steris smiled, almost proudly. “I think so.”

Wax moved to sit on the desk by her. “So do I deserve you at your best then? For putting up with you at your worst that day?" He asked, amused with the statement.

“No, you deserve it because you’re good to me. You take care of me, protect me, love me. That’s how love works. How the best relationships do. better and worst and all that.”

He smiled. “You definitely put up with me at my worst, and I don’t think you get my best either. I think my best was decades ago. You deserve far better.”

She shook her head, staring at him. “I like you just how you are. I doubt I would want you back then.” Wax looked at her. “What would I do with a roughs lawman as a husband, Waxillium? Just sit around and do paperwork, what kind of paperwork? If we didn’t have a house what good would I be to you? You and I work how we are now, but if you changed that, it wouldn’t, I don’t think. Maybe we could make it work. But I firmly prefer who you are now. I don’t think I want to deal with 30 year old Waxillium who was still figuring out who he was, and how to fight and shoot people and all that. I like you how you are now, how you’ve become.” She paused. “You might not be so much the roughs lawman you were, but you still care for others and protect people. Those remain your best qualities. That is who you are, and were, and will be.”

“I suppose if we met much earlier you’d want very little to do with me.”

“I didn’t want much when we started now, but you swayed me.” She smirked.

He laughed. “It’s my determination to get your life put in danger and sweep you off your feet, isn’t it?”

“The second part, perhaps.” She smiled softly. He laughed again. 

“I love you, Steris Harms-Ladrian.” He said to her.

“I love you too Waxillium.” She paused. “I have never been so glad that I threw a bunch of papers across a room."

“What?” Wax asked.

"I broke down and threw papers everywhere and Marasi happened upon yours among them, and she swayed me to consider you.”

“I suppose I should thank her.”

“You’ve saved her life. I think that’s enough.”

“Not in my book. You are far more valuable to me, I can’t imagine my life without you now. I really feel we were meant to be together, meant to meet in time. Maybe more good things will happen if you throw papers across the room, want to try?” She gave him a look, not amused as he reached for her papers.

“I don’t see what potential benefit that will have now.”

“You never know, maybe Marasi will come in and have an epiphany on some case.”

She just looked at him. "Maybe. If she really needed it."

He laughed. "Maybe if she does it you can find someone for her." He paused, thinking. “You didn’t want me... I mean I guess I shouldn’t be surprised but it still kind of hurts.”

“It’s probably good for you.” She said. “You have quite the ego, it's good for you to know not everyone just naturally likes you.”

“No one naturally likes me. I’m not Wayne, I think most people I meet want to shoot me on sight.”

“That’s also true. Marasi liked you on sight. Well before, by reputation.”

“I suppose I’ve never been so glad for my reputation if it landed me here with you.” He said smiling at her.

Steris nodded and paused, nervously. “What did you think of me?”

“Honestly?” He asked. She nodded, waiting. “I know you’d prefer to know what I thought of how you looked and acted but I was still so upset over Lessie I could hardly care. I suppose your reputation mattered more to me. People said you were very dedicated to your house, quite, reserved. I thought it’d be good for me, someone to help me, and maybe in time we’d slowly learn to be more than just two people who made a deal for our house. If we were going to have kids and things, I hoped I’d learn to love you. More, I hoped that you would learn to love me somewhat. I thought that a twenty-six year old woman deserved far better than me. But I hoped that I could at least make you mildly happy.” He paused and took her hand. “I hoped that maybe we could be happy together. I worried though, that I would ruin your life, and you’d hate me forever for marrying you." He moved a strand of hair that feel free and tucked it gently behind her ear.

“I think things have worked out very well.” She said.

“I would agree.” Wax said with a nod.

“You aren’t upset about it?”

“Well you did have some chapters, so it’s not a lie at all. And I never begrudge people for outsmarting me. You’d think so many years with Wayne and I’d be better at it.”

“No.” She said. He looked at her. “You rely on him. It's the same reason you haven’t really gotten better at managing the house on your own, because now you rely on me. You’re happy to let others do things for you. But that’s fine, that’s our dynamic, like it was yours with his. It’s a very noble thing to do.” Steris said smirking.

“Lazy," Wax said.

“Yes, but Wayne would praise you for your ability to outsmart other people and get them to do things for you.” 

“The very thing I complain about him doing.”

“I think that’s mostly what all people do.” She said. “Even I let people do most of it. Only my anxiety over their work prevents me from letting them do all of it.”

"I'm sure we do much better for the personal effort you put into it." Wax said. "I do wonder what young Steris was like though. We don't talk much about our lives."

"You don't with most people."

"No, I suppose not." Wax agreed. "But I do care about yours."

"I spent hours with tutors, and attending teas and events, same as any noblewoman. I hated it and had trouble making friends, and worst was to figure out my father had another kid with someone else. It just made me feel forever like i wasn't good enough. I mean, I knew he'd always have preferred a son but another daughter, and when she was an allomancer..."

"Allomancy is not that important, Steris."

"Says you, it's so important to who you are."

"I could stop, don't use it most days."

"It's still shaped who you are, and it shapes how people treat you. Using it currently or not, no one would mess with you or this house because of it. Marasi is worth more because she is one."

"Wayne always says he'd rather be a woman than an allomancer."

"He's insane, and a man whose powers are paramount to his personality."

"A man who had never really used them until he was 16." Wax said. "But Wayne says he'd rather be able to have kids than be an allomancer."

"He's also a man who enjoys getting hit by women. I don't take anything he says seriously."

"Probably wise, actually." Wax said. "We all have our own moments, and times we're we're valuable and important. My time is past, perhaps it's your time now. For this house and with me, and here and now. I hope so. I can't wait until they see how wrong they are about you."

She frowned. "They're not wrong about me. I am like they say i am."

"But you're not useless or difficult. You're just different. You said being unique wasn't a good things. But you'll show them wrong, that you are fantastic and worthwhile and every man should be jealous of me."

"I think that just feeds your own ego. I think it's big enough, and I don't care what they think... or I try not to anymore. I care what you think. Rust the rest of them." She smirked.

He laughed. "I suppose that's a healthier attitude."

She nodded and smiled. "I accept who I am and my reputation, and I'm just beginning to enjoy who I am. I wouldn't want you any different, and so I feel you probably feel the same way about me."

"Really, no different in any ways?" Wax asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, good and bad, you are the man I have married, and the one I love."

Wax smiled and nodded. "I think you can be whatever you want, and I will like you. I doubt you could change so much that I would stop."

She smiled and he just smiled back at her.

 


End file.
